Trump v 60 Minutes is a stunning battle for the soul of US media

President's tensions with CBS show barely scratch surface of crusade against media he calls enemy of the people'

Donald Trump's battle with a US media he considers an enemy of the people" has been a signature fight of his second term in office, sparking warnings of an erosion of press freedoms in America and fears over the independence of key publications owned by billionaires seeking to become close to the president.

But one struggle has now taken center stage that puts one of the most prestigious brands in US journalism in a direct legal fight with the White House, which has also dragged in a gigantic multibillion-dollar Wall Street deal by the corporate owners of one of America's main broadcast networks.